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Accuplacer Information Packet
Accuplacer Information Packet
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Center for Academic Excellence
Ave Maria University, Latin American Campus
What is the Accuplacer Test?
The Accuplacer test is an online placement exam that is administered over the Internet. It is a College Board test that is used in over 1,000 colleges and universities across the United States. It uses computer-adaptive testing technology to select specific test questions based on the answer to the previous question. Because students are tested at their individual ability levels, each student is likely to encounter a different test.
Why do students need to take the Accuplacer?
Incoming students must take the Accuplacer to ensure proper placement in English and Math courses so that students will begin classes at a level where they are most likely to succeed.
When do students need to take the Accuplacer?
The Accuplacer test is offered by appointment Monday through Friday at 8:00 a.m. and Monday through Thursday at 1:00 p.m. in the Center for Academic Excellence. Students are encouraged to take the Accuplacer as soon as possible after paying their application fees. The Accuplacer test must be completed before students are allowed to register for classes.
What tests will students take?
Two sections decide the English course placement:
| Reading Comprehension | No time limit | 20 questions |
| Writing | Onehour | Write one essay in response to a prompt |
One section decides the Math course placement:
| Elementary Algebra | No time limit | 12 questions |
Pre-Engineering students
Pre-Engineering students who test into MATH 150 must take an additional Math test to see if they can be placed into Calculus. This is a paper-pencil test administered in the Math department.
How do students make an appointment to take the Accuplacer?
Students can make an appointment by calling 2535-2314 or emailing admissions@avemaria.edu.ni
Can students be granted an exemption from taking the Accuplacer?
The Admissions Department will consider students for exemption from placement testing based on certain academic criteria. Waivers are considered individually after a thorough review of the respective student’s entire academic record. Students eligible for waiver from all or part of the Accuplacer exam must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Students who have completed ACCUPLACER at another institution within the past year
- Students who have transfer credits in college-level English and Math classes
If College-level math courses were completed more than two years ago, placement testing is strongly recommended to obtain estimates of current skill levels for advisement purposes. Students requesting an exemption from ACCUPLACER should contact Admissions.
Are score results shared with students?
Yes, immediately after finishing the test the student’s scores appear on the computer screen. An individual score report is printed and a copy is given to the student. The student is notified of his/her tentative class placement in English and Math by the Center for Academic Excellence; however, the English and Math departments have the final authorization for course placements.
What do my Accuplacer Scores mean?
The chart below is used to decide your course placement to ensure your success.
Accuplacer Cut Scores
| Courses | Credit hours | Class hours | Accuplacer Cut Scores |
| Academic English Program | varies | varies | Reading Comprehension 0-30 |
| English 096 | 6 | 90 | Reading Comprehension <58 Writing 2-3 |
| English 097 | 6 | 60 | Reading Comprehension 58-77 Writing 4-5 |
| English 100 | 6 | 90 | Reading Comprehension 78+ Writing 6-7 |
| Literature 103 | 4 | 60 | Reading Comprehension 100+ Writing 8 |
| Elementary and Intermediate Algebra 099 | 6 | 90 | <70 Elementary Algebra |
| Functions 150 | 4 | 60 | >70 Elementary Algebra |
Can students retake the Accuplacer?
Yes, students can retake all or part of the Accuplacer test. Students can only retake one time. A fee of $10 per section will be charged for retaking the Accuplacer. Students who wish to retake Accuplacer must consult with a staff member of the Center for Academic Excellence to receive a retake form. This form will be taken to the cashier. The fee must be paid to the Cashier and the retake form along with the cashier’s receipt must be presented at the time of testing. After classes have begun, students will not be allowed to retake Accuplacer.
What do students need to bring to take the test?
A picture identification (driver’s license, passport, cedula, student id) must be presented to the Proctor before starting the test. Dictionaries and calculators are not permitted. Cell phones must be turned off. A proctor will always be present to assist with problems that relate to test format or to computer usage. Proctors may not, however, answer any academic-related questions associated with the test.
How long does the test take?
Most students finish the test in three hours. There is no time limit for the Reading Comprehension and Math test. The Writing test has a one-hour time limit.
What about testing for students with disabilities?
Students who need Accuplacer testing and are eligible for special accommodations should ensure that the appropriate documentation, reflecting the specified accommodations, is forwarded to Admissions at least two weeks prior to testing. Please contact Admissions to discuss accommodations and to schedule a testing session where these accommodations can be used.
Do Accuplacer Scores Expire?
Yes, your Accuplacer scores are only valid for one semester. If you do not take the Math or English course for which you were placed, you must pay to retake those sections of Accuplacer if one semester has passed.
How can students prepare for the Accuplacer test?
Reviewing basic concepts in reading, grammar, arithmetic and algebra before taking Accuplacer should assist you in preparation for the test. For additional assistance in refreshing your academic skills, visit these web sites:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/accuplacer/index.html Sample questions and answers for all parts of the Accuplacer test
http://www.gsu.edu/~wwwrtp/instrdg.htm Provides a general reading test for practice
http://www.cerritos.edu/reading/mainide2.htm More help with finding main ideas in paragraphs and identifying topic sentences
http://www.literacynet.org/cnnsf/ Wonderful site full of interesting news stories that allow reading comprehension and vocabulary practice!
http://www.cerritos.edu/reading/mainide2.htm More help with finding main ideas in paragraphs and identifying topic sentences
http://www.purplemath.com practical algebra lessons demonstrating useful techniques and pointing out common errors
http://www.math.com an excellent resource
http://www.mathwizz.com An easy-to-navigate web site including lessons and quizzes for many math levels
http://www.algebrahelp.com Great site for reviewing algebra skills
http://www.mathforum.com/dr.math This site allows you submit questions about math problems and to receive answers and explanations
http://www.calculus.org Calculus review web site, especially helpful for pre-engineering majors.
http://www.mymathtest.com Plenty of practice tests
http://www.Mathmax.com Pay attention to the Pre-algebra and Introductory Algebra sections.
http://www.mccfl.edu/TitleIII/tests/algebra1.cfm Online Algebra practice test from Manatee Community College
http://www.mc.cc.md.us/Departments/math/placement/algebraquiz.htm Online algebra practice test from Montgomery College
Review Questions:
The following questions are examples of the type of questions you may find on each section of the Accuplacer test. Simply reviewing these questions does not guarantee an improved Accuplacer score, but may serve as a useful starting point in beginning your preparation. Reading through each question and thoroughly understanding how each correct answer was derived will be an excellent starting point in your preparation to take this test!
Reading Comprehension Example Items
The Reading Comprehension test contains 20-25 questions is designed to measure how well you understand what you read. Some questions refer to reading passages of various lengths and answering a series of questions about the content of the passage. Other questions ask you to examine two sentences and answer correctly how these two sentences are related.
Read the statement or passage and then choose the best answer to the question. Answer the question based on what is stated or implied in the statement or passage.
1. Myths are stories, the products of fertile imagination, sometimes simple, often containing profound truths. They are not meant to be taken too literally. Details may sometimes appear childish, but most myths express a culture’s most serious beliefs about human beings, eternity and God.
The main idea of this passage is that myths
A. are created primarily to entertain young children.
B. are purposefully written for the reader who lacks imagination.
C. provide the reader with a means of escape from reality.
D. Illustrate the values that are considered important to society.
2. In the words of Thomas DeQuincy, “It is notorious that the memory strengthens as you lay burdens upon it.” If, like most people, you have trouble recalling the names of those you have just met, try this: The next time you are introduced, plan to remember the names. Say to yourself, “I’ll listen carefully; I’ll repeat each person’s name to be sure I’ve got it, and I will remember.” You’ll discover how effective this technique is and probably recall those names for the rest of your life.
The main idea of the paragraph maintains that the memory
A. always operates at peak efficiency
B. breaks down under great strain.
C. improves if it is used often.
D. becomes unreliable if it tires.
3. The ultimate source of energy for all plants and animals is sunlight. But the sun’s energy can be harnessed by plants, through photosynthesis, and stored in molecules of carbohydrates. When animals eat these enzymes, large amounts of energy become available. Animals immediately convert this energy into molecules of high-energy ATP (adenosine triphosphate) – the universal currency of energy in living things. Excluding only the very first stages in carbohydrate breakdown, which are called glycolysis, the entire complicated process of energy transfer to ATP takes place within the mitochondria.
Glycolysis refers to
A. the initial stages of carbohydrate breakdown.
B. the process of plants producing oxygen and carbohydrates.
C. the production of ATP.
D. the production of body heat which occurs in the mitochondria.
4. Unemployment was the overriding fact of life when Franklin D. Roosevelt became President of the United States on March 4, 1933. An anomaly of the time was that the government did not systematically collect statistics of joblessness; actually it did not start doing so until 1940. The Bureau of Labor Statistics later estimated that 12,830,000 persons were out of work in 1933, about one-fourth of a civilian labor force of over 51,000,000. Roosevelt signed the Federal Emergency Relief Act on May 12, 1933. The President selected Harry L. Hopkins, who headed the New York relief program, to run FERA. A gifted administrator, Hopkins quickly put the program into high gear. He gathered a small staff in Washington and brought the state relief organizations into the FERA system. While the agency tried to provide all the necessities, food came first. City dwellers usually got an allowance for fuel, and rent for one month was provided in case of eviction. FERA paid for medicine, some doctor bills, but no hospital costs, work-relief, sewing rooms, and renovated hand-me-down clothing.
This passage is primarily about
A. unemployment in the 1930’s.
B. the effect of unemployment on United States families.
C. President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency.
D. President Roosevelt’s FERA program.
5. It is said that a smile is universally understood. And nothing triggers a smile more universally than a taste of sugar. Nearly everyone loves sugar. Infant studies indicate that humans are born with an innate love of sweets. Based on statistics, a lot of people in Great Britain must be smiling, because on average, every man, woman and child in that country consumes 95 pounds of sugar each year.
From this passage it seems safe to conclude that the English
A. do not know that too much sugar is unhealthy.
B. eat desserts at every meal.
C. are fonder of sweets than most people.
D. have more cavities than any other people.
6. With varying success, many women around the world today struggle for equal rights. Historically, women have achieved greater quality with men during periods of social
adversity. The following factors initiated the greatest number of improvements for women: violent revolution, world war, and the rigors of pioneering in an undeveloped land. In all three cases, the essential element that improved the status of women was a shortage of men, which required women to perform many of society’s vital tasks.
We can conclude from the information in this passage that
A. women today are highly successful in winning equal rights.
B. only pioneer women have been considered equal to men.
C. historically, women have only achieved equality through force.
D. Historically, the principle of equality alone has not been enough to secure women equal rights.
7. Plastics are synthetic materials that are so common today that we barely notice them. The process of making plastics, called polymerization, is a little over a hundred years old. Vinyl chloride was polymerized in 1838, acrylics in 1843, and polyester in 1847. Oddly, those newly synthesized plastics languished in polymer laboratories for decades because no one had yet found a use for the new materials.
We can see from the information in this passage that
A. commercial use of a material does not always rapidly follow its discovery.
B. people had no need for plastics in the 1800s.
C. the introduction of plastics in the 1800s would have upset the world economy.
D. no practical types of plastics were invented until the 20th century.
8. Primitive people tended to be highly superstitious. Anything out of the ordinary that happened was regarded with superstitious fear. Most people throughout history have been right-handed. For that reason, left-handedness was regarded as an evil omen. The Latin word for left is sinister. Since many people regarded left-handedness as bad, the word sinister entered the English language meaning “evil.”
From this passage we can conclude that fear and superstition usually grew from
A. lack of knowledge.
B. left-handedness.
C. evil omens.
D. terrifying circumstances.
9. In 1848, Charles Burton of New York City made the first baby carriage, but people strongly objected to the vehicles because they said the carriage operators hit too many pedestrians. Still convinced that he had a good idea, Burton opened a factory in England. He obtained orders for the baby carriages from Queen Isabella II of Spain, Queen Victoria of England, and the Pasha of Egypt. The United States had to wait another ten years before it got a carriage factory, and the first year only 75 carriages were sold.
Even after the success of baby carriages in England,
A. Charles Burton was a poor man.
B. Americans were still reluctant to buy baby carriages.
C. Americans purchased thousands of baby carriages.
D. the United States bought more carriages than any other country.
10. All water molecules form six-sided structures as they freeze and become snow crystals. Temperature, vapor, and wind conditions in the upper atmosphere determine the shape of the crystal. Snow crystals are always symmetrical because these conditions affect all six sides simultaneously.
The purpose of the passage is to present
A. a personal observation.
B. a solution to a problem.
C. actual information.
D. opposing scientific theories.
Elementary Algebra Sample Items
There are three categories of questions on the Elementary Algebra Accuplacer test, which includes 12 questions:
- The first category, operations with integers and rational numbers, includes computationwith integers and negative rationals, the use of absolute values, and ordering.
- The second category is operations with algebraic expressions. It tests your skills inevaluating simple formulas and expressions, and in adding and subtracting monomials andpolynomials.Both of the preceding categories include questions about multiplying and dividing monomials andpolynomials, evaluating positive rational roots and exponents, simplifying algebraic fractions,and factoring.
- The third category tests skill in solving equations, inequalities, and word problems. These
questions include solving systems of linear equations, quadratic equations by factoring, verbal problems presented in algebraic context, geometric reasoning, the translation of written phrases into algebraic expressions, and graphing.
Directions: Solve the following problems and choose your answer from the alternatives given. You may use scratch paper. Remember, no calculators are permitted on Accuplacer.
1. If A represents the number of apples purchased at 15 cents each and B represents the number of bananas purchased at 10 cents each, which of the following represents the total value of the purchases?
A. A + B
B. 25 (A + B)
C. 10A + 15B
D. 15A + 10B
2. 2 x 15 =
A. 17
B. 30
C. 30
D. 17
3. The Greens scored one less than twice as many points as the Yellows. If the Yellows scored “N” points, which expression represents the total number of points scored by the two teams?
A. 2N - 1
B. 2N
C. 3N - 1
D. 2(N-1)
4. (3x – 2y)2 =
A. 9x2 - 4y2
B. 9x2 + 4y2
ANSWERS TO SAMPLE ITEMS
Answers to Reading Comprehension Sample Items:
1. D
2. C
3. A
4. D
5. C
6. D
7. A
8. A
9. B
10. C
Answers to Elementary Algebra Sample Items:
1. D
2. C
3. C
4. D